You are searching for an easily accessible and fast winter escape? When you are traveling from Europe, Cape Verde is reachable within a 5-7 hour direct flight. From wearing snow boots to swimming in clear blue, warm saltwater…
If you are from the U.S. or South America, Cape Verde is the nearest location to get a glimpse of Africa.
So is it worth visiting Cape Verde? The answer is dependent on your goals and expectations. So lets me give you an overview:
Why you should visit Cape Verde:
There are several pros to traveling to Cape Verde:
- The natural beaches: Cape Verde is known for its beautiful beaches, with white sand and clear blue waters that are perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and water sports.
- Always warm weather: Cape Verde enjoys warm temperatures and sunshine throughout the year, making it an ideal destination for travelers looking to escape cold or rainy weather. The worst weather you will encounter is a breeze on the beach. (Read also: Is there bad weather in Cape Verde?)
- Unique culture: Cape Verde has a unique blend of African and European cultures, which can be seen in its music, food, and architecture.
- Relaxed locals: The people of Cape Verde are known for their calmness, and visitors often feel at home on the islands.
- Scenic landscapes: In addition to its beautiful beaches, Cape Verde offers stunning natural landscapes, including volcanic mountains, and rocky coastlines.
- Water sports: Cape Verde is a popular destination for water sports enthusiasts, with opportunities for surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, snorkeling, and diving.
- Affordable: Compared to other popular vacation destinations, Cape Verde can be a relatively affordable option for travelers, with lower prices for food, accommodation, and activities.
- Relatively safe: Cape Verde is generally considered a safe destination for tourists, with low levels of crime and a stable political environment. However, it still is a country facing poverty, and crime still does occur.
- Sustainable tourism: Cape Verde has made efforts to promote sustainable tourism practices, such as protecting marine life and promoting renewable energy sources, which can make visitors feel good about their impact on the environment.
Read also: What is Cape Verde known for?
Possible Reasons to Not Visit Cape Verde
There can be several criticisms about traveling to Cape Verde, depending on different perspectives and experiences. Here are some of the common criticisms that some travelers might have:
- Limited tourist infrastructure: Cape Verde is a developing country, and some visitors may find that the country’s tourism infrastructure is not as developed as other popular tourist destinations. Accommodation options, transportation, and amenities in some areas may not meet the standards expected by some tourists.
- Lack of variety: While Cape Verde offers beautiful beaches and scenic landscapes, some travelers may find that there is a lack of variety in terms of activities and experiences. The country is relatively small, and visitors may feel that they have seen and done everything there is to do after a few days.
- Poverty: As a developing country, Cape Verde has high levels of poverty, and some travelers may be uncomfortable with the poverty they encounter. Visitors may also feel guilty about enjoying their vacation while others in the country are struggling to make ends meet.
- Nearly no vegetation: There is a green island (see here about Santo Antão, the green island) and some isolated spots with vegetation; However, Cape Verde is a volcanic desert. A fact that travelers often are not aware of before arriving, because of the location and name of the island nation.
Conclusion
You should travel to Cap Verde if you are looking for:
- sun every day
- a relaxed beach holiday, with sandy beaches, clear water and marine life – but not much more
- high-quality local sea food (you need to know what to order, though!)
- If you do not mind that the islands are not green, but a desert
- If you value authentic, small villages, where you can encounter an interesting new culture and enter another small world, nearly at the end of the world
- an authentic experience over a highly developed holiday destination and infrastructure
